Kathy's Hats: A Story of Hope

by Trudy Krisher

Kathy has always enjoyed wearing hats. But when she turns nine, she learns that she has cancer. Kathy is scared, and she is especially angry when her chemotherapy treatments make her hair fall out. Suddenly hats aren't so much fun anymore.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Trudy Krisher has a reputation as a talented writer who does not hesitate to explore sensitive issues. She grew up in the South like her heroines Maggie, in Spite Fences, and Pert, in Kinship. Born in Macon, Georgia in 1946, she was raised in South Florida.

Trudy graduated from the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in English and received her Masters degree from The College of New Jersey. She has three grown children: Laura, Kathy, and Mark. Trudy Krisher lives in Dayton, Ohio, where she is a Professor at Sinclair Community College.

Trudy has won many awards for her writing. They include Best Book for Young Adults selections of the American Library Association; International Reading Association Award; The Jefferson Cup Honor Book of the Virginia Library Association; Parents’ Choice Honor Book; Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award; Amelia Bloomer Project Recommendation; Bank Street Children’s Book of the Year; and Capitol Choice Book.

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: Kathy's Hats begins by talking about all the different hats the Kathy wore when she was a little girl. She loves those hats when she is a little girl. But when she gets older, her love for hats disappears. Kathy is diagnosed with cancer, and because of her chemotherapy treatments she loses her hair. Kathy complains about wearing hats because she wishes that her hair would grow back. Her mother tells her that she needs to start wearing the most important cap of all, her thinking cap. The thinking cap will help her when she is faced with a challenge. At the end of the story, Kathy's classmates celebrate with her because she has been cancer free two years! Everyone wears a hat and they throw them in the air to celebrate. Kathy then talks about all the different hats she wants to wear in the future such as a graduation cap and a wedding veil.
Audience: K-6
Genre: Picture Book/Informational
Reading Level: Early Readers
Curricular Uses: Read-Aloud, Independent Reading
Topic: Cancer
Theme: Overcoming cancer, not giving up, overcoming fear
Literary Elements: Sequential plot, told in past tense
Illustrations: Illustrations support the text.
Additional Comments: Written by the mother of the child in the story. Inspirational book that could be used to address a number of topics such as fear, illness, or supporting one another.

[Jessica Blonder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kathy’s Hats
By Trudy Krisher
No awards
Grades k-3
Summary: Kathy used to love hats. When she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 9, that changed. Kathy hated all the hats her mom bought her. When people started giving her pins to decorate her cap, she turned to love them again. 2 years later, Kathy became cancer-free and said goodbye to her hats.
Review: I love the way the author explains cancer. She talks about it in a very basic, no-frills kind of way. I think this book is good for people with cancer or without trying to make sense of the disease.
Activities in the classroom:
Write letters (Or have pen pals) to children in a hospital.
What are some pins you would have on your hat? Mind map (Similar to a heart map)
Wear hats for a day.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard for me to get past the illustrations, which were a little rough. This one is about a kid. It might be best for friends or classmates of a child with cancer. It mentions that it does not happen to many kids (which should alleviate some fear) and shows how to be supportive.

[Liane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Biographical Picture Book

Reading Level: Late Early

Topics & Themes: Cancer. Hats. Coping with cancer. Hospital. Losing your hair

Curricular Use: Shared reading

Social: Being different. Fitting in. Support.

Literary Elements: 1st person from Kathy's viewpoint:gives child view of going through cancer. Circular character development:Kathy loves hates, hates when forced to wear and stands out, then loves and accepts herself and her hats.

Text & Pictures: Interaction of text and pictures

Additional Notes: Th story is a based on a true story and written by the mother of the girl, Kathy, in the story.

[Carly Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Olivia's Award

Level: Emergent

Genre: Picture Book

Topic: An inspirational story about A Child With Cancer

Social: A child having cancer, dealing with cancer, feeling embarassed and trapped by a disease that you can't control, friends and family helping to cope with cancer

Curricular use: Read aloud or independent reading

Literary Elements: Dialogue, Dynamic Character, Conflict and resolution

Strong connection between the pictures and the text

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little girl who is diagnosed with cancer. She has always worn hats and now her hats are coming in handy. But she doesn't feel happy on the inside so her mother tells her to put on her "thinking cap" which is invisible.


Interest Levels: Lower Grades: k-3


Fiction/Nonfiction: Fiction


Topics: Family: Unity; Community Life: School; Emotions: Sadness; Emotions: Joy

[Sharon Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

K-6
fluent
read aloud/independent
problem realism
dialgue/conflict & resolution/being different
courage/hope/challenge/inspiration
a child's story of experiencing cancer and the treatments
she wears hats

[Danielle Desmarais · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as the title read, this is story of hope. About a little girl who gets sick and has many struggles she has to deal with. In the end she finds comfort and things that still make her happy. I think it would be a very important thing for children to hear and talk about.

3rd grade reading level.

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade Levels: K-4
* Provides students with an understanding of cancer that they can relate to
* Can be used during the first few weeks of school or morning meeting to discuss and encourage caring, kindness, and self-acceptance

[Joshua Stapon]

“Kathy’s Hats: A Story of hope”; Written by Trudy Krisher, Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott; Published by Albert Whitman & Company
1. Awards the book has received: none.
2. Appropriate grade level(s): This book is appropriate for preschool through second grade.
3. Summary: This book is about the hardship and a perspective into a child battling cancer with all their might and the hardships they do face. When going through the Chemotherapy Kathy loses her hair and in an attempt to keep her self-esteem up she where hats and these hats is are a part of her from then on. For the next 2 years, she battles cancer and makes the hats a part of her identity she designs them and makes them into her own. This book shows the perseverance of a child battling cancer to a full degree.
Review: This book brings into light what children fighting cancer go through and other such diseases. Throughout the book, a hat is the focus of how cope building these coping skills is good to do at a young age. It attempts to show cancer maybe not in full light but to introduce students to these types of disease is a good attempt to build up their knowledge base.
4. Uses in the classroom:
- Showing the students, what people go through to build up a sense of empathy.
- Getting students involved with peers that may be going through similar things as Kathy
-Show how coping mechanisms can help children in hard situations.